Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

This will be the first Christmas of my life without my grandmother. Her passing this past summer has had a profound affect on myself and my family, and I know this is something which will never go away completely.

Having said that, we are planning a happy Christmas this year. My mother will be with us, along with my wife's parents. And we're going to make it a great day, the kind of Christmas my grandmother used to have at her home in Trinity, Texas.

What does any this have to do with Design Style Guide, you ask? Well, nothing directly. But in the process of thinking about this I came up with a wish list, a group of items that I'd like to own or give to others with the aim of making an enjoyable day for one and all. So here are my choices, my Wish List presented for all to see.

Flamingo Red, by Elke Hutchens

I will admit to being a huge fan of Elke Hutchens' work. I'm not even sure how she does this, but I know it's beautiful. This piece is like a large drop of semi-molten cherry candy, and it just begs to be touched!

Elke says: The Flamingo was modeled in clay and molded twice to achieve a refined and detailed finish. It was poured in ceramic slip, then black glaze was applied. I have spent years trying to perfect the process of achieving a sleek and flawless surface of the glaze. I believe I have come as close as I can get, although my quest for perfection will be ongoing.

I can't imagine this looking any better, but I'm interested!

Dresser, by Alfer Design

This is pure wonderment from Alfer Design. The casework is beautiful, the leatherwork is eye-catching, the design is graceful, yet masculine... And I want this in my bedroom instead of the dresser I already own!

And yes, you read correctly. I said "leatherwork." The dark drawer fronts with the brass nails are made of leather. I originally mistook this for a second species of wood until I noticed there was no woodgrain.

This is one of the more artful pieces of furniture I've seen of late.

Purple Song, by WindDancer Photos

I'm a sucker for cool photography, and this is right up there with some of the best I've seen recently. I'm also a sucker for most things purple. So this piece was destined to pull me in.

From WindDancer Photos: A dusky purple orchid with a pale green central flare and contrasting rusty lip accents (some type of zygopetalum) is both stunning and distinctive. Printed on acid-free, premium quality archival high gloss paper and archival high definition inks for rich, deep colors to last a lifetime.

I want to build furniture as beautiful as this photograph.

Purple/Yellow Heart Rocking Chair, by Hollis Woodworks

Speaking of furniture as beautiful as the last photograph, take a look at this rocking chair from Hollis Woodworks. Purple heart and yellow heart are both dense woods, sometimes difficult to work with, but with skill and patience they yield spectacular results, as you can see.

This rocker was inspired by the work of Sam Maloof. I'm certain the people at Hollis Woodworks will take it as a compliment when I say I understood that before reading it. It's not a Maloof rocker, but it has the same grace notes and the same feel to it. Sam Maloof was a genius of furniture design and most good furniture makers aspire to his level of expertise and art. I know I do, and I could learn some valuable lessons by studying this chair.

Lily Bunch II, by Lisa Gabel Design

I hardly know where to begin with this piece. When I first saw it I thought it was a carving, or possibly a plaster mold of some kind. In fact it is a print of a painting by Lisa Gabel Design. Prints are great because you get to have a wonderful piece of art in your home without paying gigantic sums of money for the original. And this one is doubly great because it looks three dimensional!

Many painters shy away from selling prints of their work because the quality can be suspect. Whoever does these prints for Lisa deserves high praise. The integrity of her work is preserved and we have the opportunity to show it off -- and show off our good taste -- in our own homes.

I know just where I'd like to hang this print. Now, if only some nice person will purchase it for me...

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